Parliament approves NEET from next year

The government said the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) is designed to curb corruption by bringing in transparency, checking multiplicity of exams and to stop exploitation of students in counselling. 

Under the new system, exams to private colleges will also be conducted under NEET, Health Minister JP Nadda said, responding to contention by some members that it will benefit private institutions. The Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Bill, 2016 and The Dentists (Amendment) Bill, 2016, approved by the Lok Sabha earlier, were passed by the Rajya Sabha by voice vote.

Most of the parties supported the government move to have NEET except AIADMK which opposed it and staged a walkout, arguing that it will affect rural students who do not study CBSE syllabus. 

Replying to a debate on these bills, Nadda said, “National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) is intended to check multiplicity of exams to bring transparency to stop the exploitation of students.” Earlier students would have to travel long distances to appear for several medical entrance examinations but the new legislation will bring this to an end, he said. 

Responding to apprehensions expressed by some members, particularly from Tamil Nadu where reservation is upto 85 per cent, he clarified, “We are not going to touch the state quota. We will give the name, ranking, domicile and percentile. Now it is for the state governments to give extra marks and give admissions to reserved categories.”